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Murder of Shanett Savory…Crime Chief believes Police Force has strong case against accused
Ms. Dhanrajie Murray holding a photograph of her missing daughter, Shanett Savory, is being consoled by Ms. Tiffany Jackson, Coordinator of the ‘Let the Women Speak’ Movement.
Although a body is yet to be recovered, the Guyana Police Force through its Crime Chief, Mr. Paul Williams, is convinced that there is a solid case against Davendra Ramdiah who was charged last Thursday with the murder of 37-year-old Shanett Savory.
Savory reportedly disappeared on August 28, 2016 after leaving her apartment at 222 Prospect, East Bank Demerara, to pay her electricity bill.
At a press conference held at the Guyana Police Force Camp Road, Georgetown Training Centre yesterday, Williams told media operatives, “Before we charge, we seek legal advice and it simply means that definitely the legal advisers ought to know that what we have there is very good enough and substantive for a case…”
Even if he were to rely on his own conviction, Williams said, “With my experience and my legal background, yes we have a strong case.”
Just last week Ramdiah, also known as ‘Duckman’, confessed to killing Savory and as a result was brought before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer to a murder charge.
But there have been speculations about whether the alleged killer is of sound mind in light of the fact that he gave police, on two instances, misleading information regarding the location of Savory’s body.
The court last week heard that Ramdiah admitted to killing the woman and burying her body somewhere in Soesdyke. He’d led police officers to a location where he allegedly buried the body but that mission turned up nothing. The accused then carried the police officers to another location in Skull City, Diamond, East Bank Demerara and again the missing woman’s body was not found.
The detectives who have been spearheading the investigation. From left: Devon Lowe, Prem Narine and Suraj Singh.
Williams assured yesterday, “There is nothing to substantiate that he is mentally ill because we have already took him through that evaluation. He is of sound mind and even if he has taken us around a journey, finally he sustained and maintained a particular location.”
But the location in question has not yet been thoroughly searched since, according to Williams, “We have encountered some challenges because of the weather but we are going to pursue that location again.” Williams did not divulge the precise location, which he described yesterday as “a crime scene.”
Shortly after Savory’s disappearance, the police issued wanted bulletins for Patrick Bannister and his wife, Ritesha Rahaman. Savory and Rahaman were said to be best friends.
Just after the wanted bulletins were issued, investigators went to the couple’s home at Belle West and dug up the concrete floor of the one-bedroom shack after they were informed that Savory might have been buried there. However, nothing was found.
According to Williams, yesterday, “Those two persons, I have learnt from the detective, are still persons of interest.”
The detective who Williams was making reference to at the time was Detective Prem Narine, who along with two others, Devon Lowe and Suraj Singh, has been tirelessly working the Savory case.
Despite regarding the case as “solved”, Williams yesterday said that investigations are ongoing.
The press conference in session yesterday. Ms. Dianne Madray [second from left] and Crime Chief, Paul Williams [third from left], are flanked by the detectives.
But it is believed that the matter could have been in its current stage even before Williams assumed the position of Crime Chief.
Williams was appointed to act in the capacity towards the end of 2017 but was confirmed to the position in January. He, however, tactically responded to a question which sought to ascertain what hindered detectives from solving the case last year.
Williams’s response was, “I wouldn’t want to go back there. Believe you me…I’m not here to hit at no body, I am here to go forward and whatever may have happened then to cause any reluctance or delay, I overlooked that. I am now sitting in the chair as the Crime Chief and whatever matter comes to my attention, I will ensure that it moves apace.”
Also taking the spotlight yesterday with the Crime Chief and the detectives, was Ms. Dianne Madray, of ‘Let the Women Speak’ movement formerly ‘Caribbean America Domestic Violence Awareness’ [CADVA].
Even as she stressed the need for more persons to take action when it comes to domestic violence, Madray asserted, “It is not just the government’s responsibly but all of us…taking action including our families; [if] you say nothing and you do nothing, you will get nothing. Therefore don’t complain, it is not the government’s responsibility.”
According to Madray, who was also in the forefront of a similar [Babita Sarjou] murder case which police solved in 2016, the lending of support and partnership to the Major Crimes Unit has been a key factor in realising the desired result.
She especially lauded Crime Chief Williams for adopting an open-door policy that allowed for the necessary actions to be taken. “Upon meeting Mr. Williams, I saw a man who was open to listening and providing any assistance from his team to open the Shanett Savory case.”
“This case did not begin under Mr. Williams’s watch but from April 16, 2018, less than two weeks, suspect Devindra Ramdiah was apprehended and provided a confession.”
Madray revealed yesterday too, “This suspect went unnoticed despite the family’s plea and statements that this individual should have been a person of interest back in 2016.”
It is believed that Savory had shared a relationship with the accused.
According to Sarjou, the investigating team worked non-stop, even on the weekends, despite their heavy workload and lack of resources to get investigations done in a timely, efficient and effective manner.
In tears, mother of the still missing woman, Dhanrajie Murray, who resides in the United States, expressed hope that the police force’s impending search would unearth her daughter’s remain. This, the woman believes, will help her to find closure.
She disclosed yesterday that when given an opportunity to face the accused, he begged for her forgiveness, a development, which might have further helped to solidify the Police Force’s case.
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